As the sun starts to go down, you begin to make your way back through the woods toward camp. Suddenly, a set of sharp teeth belonging to a snarling wolf appears in front of you—and it’s not alone. Here’s what you do.

This is part of Lifehacker’s Animal Attacks Series. As capable as we humans think we are, bears, snakes, wolves, sharks, and even bees can turn a fun day outside into a harsh, potentially life-threatening reality check. Here’s what to do when you find yourself face to face with some of the deadliest beasts in the great outdoors.

If you ever do encounter a wolf, it will likely bring some friends along. As wolf handler Oliver Starr explains, they’re pack hunters that cover very large areas of uninhabited land. Wolves are also “coursing predators,” meaning they like to take their prey on the run. So if you encounter a pack of wolves, do not run or they will chase you. More often than not, if you stand your ground, they’ll leave you be. If they don’t back down, Starr suggests these tips:

Don’t try to stare the wolves down. They regard eye contact as a challenge.

Don’t turn your back on the wolves since they’ll be incited to try and flank you.

Throw rocks at the wolves if you can do so without making yourself vulnerable.

Back away slowly as you do all of the things above, but be extra careful not to trip. A fall could encourage the wolves to strike.

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Starr has survived an attack from a captive wolf himself that left him seriously injured, and that was just one wolf that only gave in after another handler grabbed the wolf’s testicles and yanked hard (something worth remembering). He stresses that if an entire pack decides to attack you, and you’re alone, there’s not much you can do. Fortunately, wolf encounters are very rare, and attacks even more so; usually only ever happening to hunters who have gone far out of their way to hunt in the extreme middle of nowhere.

Update: It’s important to note that the wolf attack Starr survived was from a captive wolf, and the attack was only due to his lack of knowledge, experience, and handling skill at that point in time. Starr explains that he has spent many nights sleeping out in wolf country and never once felt like wolves were a threat. Wolf attacks are extremely rare and they are highly wary of people. The text above has been altered to clarify this. You can learn more about Starr’s experiences with wolves here.